Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-06-30
AN OLD TIMER.
The FIRST License Law in the United
States.


The FIRST License Law In the Oni0eo
States.
(wine and supper RevieWl
Among the musty records In the
clerks Office In the town OF Hamp-
stead. L. j.. saws the N. Y. San, but In
badIv mutilated condition, are the
mannscript laws, which, according TO
their quaint endorsement, were "Es-
tablished by the authority Of his Majes-
fies Letters patents, granted TO his
Rovale Highnes the Duke Of Yorke and
ALBANY: Bearing Date the 18th Day OF
March In the sixteenth year Of the
Rai0ne ofour Soveraigne Lorde King
CHARLES the Second" According to
the endorsement, these laws were
HPublished March the 1st Ammo Domi-
no 1854, at a General meeting at Hem
stead upon Longe Island" Among
these laws Is one providing for the
keeping of 'inns & Ordinarys," which
Is the first license law ever adopted and
put in force in this country. ltapplied
to all "the Territoryes in America
under the Government of his Royale
Highnesse.n Following is q verbatim
copy of this primitive excise measure:
hNo person or Persons shall at any
time under any pretence or colour
whatsoever undertake to bea Common
Victuler keeper of A Cookies shop, OF
House of Common entertainments OF
nublioue Seller of wine, Beare, Ale or
Strong waters by retail or a less 9uantl-
tv than quarter Caske, without q
Gertificate of his good behavior from
the Constable and two Overseers, at
least. of the parish wherein he dwelt
and a I,vceuce first obtained under the
hand oftwo Justices of the peace in the
Sessions upon pain of forfeiting five
hounds for every such offense, or i'm
prisonment at the discretion OF the
Court.
"Every Person so licenced for Com
mon entertainment shall have some
Ordinary sign obvious for direction OF
strangers, within three months after
the Licence granted under penalty OF
twenty Shillings.
"Eyery Person Licenced to keep an
Ordinary shall always be provided OF
strong and wholesome Beer, OF iour
bushels of malt, at the least to Hoggs-
head which he shall not sell at above
| two nenae the quart under the penalty
oftwenty or twenty-five shillings ior the
first Offence, forty shillings lor tne
Second, and loss of his Licence. ~ ~
permitted to any to sell Beer out OF
Doors at penny the Ale quart OF
under.
"No Licenced Person shall suffer any
to Drink excessively or at unseasonaple
hours after Nine of the Clock at night
| in or about any of their houses upon
penalty of two shillings sixpence fol
every Offence if Complaint and proofe
be made thereof. .,,rs..
"If any quarrel or disorder doth arise
from Incorporate persons within theli
house, the Person so licenced for not Inn
mediately Signifying the same to the
Constable, or one Overseer at the Least
who are authorized to cause the peace to
be kept shall for every such neglect for
| felt Tenne Shillings and every person
| found Drunk in or about any OF theil
houses shall forfeit two shillings Sis
pence. And for being the author of &C
cessory of the breach of the Peace anc
disorders, or for TippIing at unreasona
BILE hours shall forfeit ten Shillings anC
for want of payment or in case they
be Servants and neglect their Masters
location. They shall be sent to the
Stocks an hour at least. 1t shall be law
i full Notwithstanding for all Licencec
persons to Entertain Land Travellers
or Seafaring men in the night season
/ when they come on shore or for thei
4 Journey for THERE necessary refresh
ment or towards THERE preparation TO
their Voyage or Journey. And also al
Strangers, Lodgers, or other Persons
| may freely Continue in such Houses
when THERE Lawful Occations ant
business doth require, Provided ther'
be no disorder amongst them.
"Eyery person so Licenced for thu
Entertainment OF Strangers with tnei
Horses, shall provide one or more En-
closure for Summer Hay and Provende
for Winter with convenient stabl
roome And attendance; upon Penalt..
of two lingsSixpence for every day
default, and double Damage to tn
party wronged.
mo Licenced Person shall unreasona
bly, exact upon his Guest for any sort Q
entertainment, and no man shall b
compelled to pay above eight pence
Meale, with small Beer onless the Cues
: shall make other agreement with tn
person so lycenced. v.i
: mo licence shall be granted by an
two Justices in Sessions for above tn
terme of one year, but every person 8
: Lycenced before the expiration of tn
said Terme shall and are hereby enjoyr
& ed to repair to the sessions of thai
Jurisdiction for renewing their Sewers
Licences for which they shall pay
/, the Clark of the Sessions two Shilling
Sixpence, or shall forfeit five pounds q
!. lnlicpnSad DersOns. le .fHe- ,es
: tsAll Offences committed against thi
3 law shall be determined by the Consts
! BILE, with two or more of the Overseer
who are Empowered to Collect and n
,. ceive the Several fines or distrayne |
case of fnonpayment rendering accomI
> thereof as is elsewhere required.
: '1That Inn Keepers or Ordinary Keel
t ers, shall not bee obliged to put an
perticuler quantity of Malt into the
! Beere, but they shall not sell the
Beere above two pence the quart, nc
r any Liquors above twelve Shillings til
t Gallon, under the penalty of twent
Shillings for each Gallon so Sold
Provided always, and it is to be undel
;. stood. that no man is hereby hindere
from buying for his owne private US
: any quantity of Liquors. And it sha
t and may be Lawful for any Person,
j. sell such quantity to him, so that he d
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